PROOFS THAT THE EARTH IS ROUND. 5 



earth, having compassed about the worlde and circled the LlB - r - 

 vastnesse of the great Oceans. Who is hee then that will 

 not confesse by this Navigation but the whole earth (al 

 though it were bigger then it is described) is subiect to the 

 feet of man,, seeing he may measure it ? Thus, without 

 doubt, the Heaven is of a round and perfect figure j and the 

 earth likewise imbracing and ioyning with the water makes 

 one globe or round bovvle framed of these two elements, 

 having their bounds and limits within their own roundnes 

 and greatnes. The which may be sufficiently proved by 

 reasons of Philosophie and Astrologie, leaving al subtil de 

 finitions commonly obiected. That, to the most perfect 

 body (which is the Heaven), we must give the most perfect 

 figure, which, without doubt, is round, whose circular 

 motion could not be firme nor equall in it selfe, if it had 

 any corner or nooke of any side, or if it were crooked (as of 

 necessitie it must be), if the Sun, Moone, and Stars made 

 not their course about the whole world. But leaving all 

 these reasons, it seemes that the Moone is sufficient in this 

 case as a faithfull witnesse of the Heaven it selfe, seeino- 



* o 



that her Eclypse happens, but when as the roundnesse of 

 the earth opposeth it selfe diarnetrally betwixt her and the 

 Sunne, and by that meanes keepes the Sunnebeames from 

 shining on her. The which could not chance if the earth 

 were not in the midst of the world, compassed in and in- 

 vironed by the whole Heaven. Some haue doubted whether 

 the light of the Moone were borrowed from the brightnes 

 of the Sunne ; but it is needlesse, seeing there can bee 

 found no other cause of the Eclipses, full, and quarters of 

 the Moone, but the communication of the beames which 

 proceed from the Sunne. Tn like sort, if wee will carefully AUO-., ep. 

 axamine this matter, we shall finde that the darkenesse of Barium, 



cap. 6. 



the night proceedes from no other cause but from the 

 shadow which the earth makes, not suffering the light of 

 he siuinc to passe to the other parte of the heaven, where 



